Giselle

Giselle is in love with Count Albrecht but does not realise who he actually is until it is too late!

In a place called the Rhine Valley, lives a peasant girl called Giselle. Giselle is in love with a local villager named Loys, and he loves her in return. However, Giselle does not realise that Loys is actually the Count Albrecht and that he is engaged to marry Bathilde, the daughter of the Duke of Courland. Hilarion the local gamekeeper also loves Giselle and is very jealous of Giselle and Loy's love. Giselle’s mother warns her against falling in love with Loys and suggests that she should marry Hilarion instead. Giselle is upset by this and refuses to listen to her mother.

At a hunting picnic, Hilarion finds out who Loys really is and decides to cause trouble by telling Giselle. Giselle is so shocked and upset by the news that she dies from a broken heart. Hilarion and Albrecht are devastated as they have both lost Giselle.

Hilarion and Albrecht visit the grave of Giselle to pay their respects. At the stroke of midnight, spirits called Wilis appear. These are spirits of brides who have died before their wedding day. Giselle appears with the Queen of the Wilis called Queen Myrtha. The Wilis perform their ghostly dance and discover Albrecht and Hilarion at Giselle’s grave. The Wilis drive Hilarion into the lake and nearly Albrecht as well, but Giselle saves him by dancing with him all night until dawn when the Wilis fade away. Giselle returns to her grave and Albrecht is left full of sorrow as he has lost his true love.

The End